Emeralds Are 2026 Northwest League 1st Half Champions
NWL Eugene Emeralds

Emeralds Are 2026 Northwest League 1st Half Champions

Published on June 10, 2026 under Northwest League (NWL)
Eugene Emeralds News Release


EUGENE, OR - The Emeralds defeated the Spokane Indians by a final score of 6-5 to officially clinch the first half championship in the Northwest League. Eugene will be back in the NWL Championship series for the second straight season.

The Emeralds got the scoring started tonight with a run in the second inning. Jancel Villarroel and Zander Darby had back-to-back one out singles to put a pair of runners on. After a strikeout, Lisbel Diaz smoked a single with two outs to bring home the first run of the night.

Eugene exploded for a five run third inning. They sent 10 total batters to the plate and recorded six hits. Gavin Kilen got the inning started with a leadoff walk before Dakota Jordan blasted his team-leading eighth home run of the year for the first two runs of the inning. Carlos Gutierrez singled before getting caught stealing for the first out. Jancel Villarroel and Zander Darby both singled to put runners on the corners for Jakob Christian who brought home another run on a single. After a quick popout, Trevor Cohen brought home the final pair of runs with a double for his Northwest League-leading 20th of the season. The Ems lead 6-0 after three innings and it looked like they were going to cruise their way to the win.

Spokane kept on fighting back as they scored two runs in the fifth. Ethan Hedges and Jack O'Dowd hit singles with two outs to bring home a run each. In the sixth, Tommy Hopfe reached on a hit-by-pitch and Alan Espinal reached on a walk. Three wild pitches brought both runners home to make it a 6-4 game after six innings.

Drama struck in the ninth as Eugene was looking to slam the door shut. Kelvin Hidalgo hit a one out single and Roynier Hernandez kept the game alive with a single to put the game-tying run on base. Ethan Hedges followed it up with a single to put the game-tying run in scoring position but Ubert Mejias was able to strike out Jack O'Dowd to give the Ems the win as they punched their ticket back to the Northwest League Championship Series in September.

The Emeralds have been the best team all season long in the NWL, and they finally were able to make it official in tonight's win. It's a testament to the players, and the coach staff led by first year manager Jacob Heyward.

Postseason baseball is coming your way at PK Park in September. The Ems will host game three and a potential game four and five starting on September 11th. No start times have been announced yet, but keep your eyes peeled for an official announcement later this week.

The Eugene Emeralds are the High-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants. The Eugene Emeralds are dedicated to providing the best in family entertainment and creating a fun, safe environment for everyone to enjoy watching a baseball game. For more information, please visit our website at www.EmeraldsBaseball.com or call the Emeralds front office at 541-342-5367.

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Northwest League Stories from June 10, 2026


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